Caribbean Chapter

URISA Caribbean Chapter -Named Outstanding Chapter of the Year in 2014!

On 19th August 2007, the URISA International Board of Directors approved organising status for the URISA Caribbean Chapter. The URISA Caribbean Chapter is a non-profit organisation that provides members with a forum not just to share real-life experiences in implementing GeoInformatics/GIS technology in organisations but also to present one’s work, get constructive criticism, and discuss, share and collaborate on how Geographical Information Systems (GIS) concepts and ideas can make a meaningful contribution to society in general and ultimately the Caribbean region.

Mission & GoalsThe mission of the URISA Caribbean Chapter is to promote partnerships and teamwork with users of GIS concepts and technology. This will be geared towards the sustainable development of the Caribbean region. The URISA Caribbean Chapter would strive to be an organisation relevant to the needs of the GIS professional in the region with a dynamic, committed membership. URISA Caribbean Chapter would also strive to be the leading medium of the Caribbean Geospatial Community providing Geospatial professionals with opportunities for advocacy, educational development, networking, leadership, collaboration, coordination and representation.

The goals of the URISA Caribbean Chapter are to:

Be a network of GIS knowledge across the Caribbean.

Provide a wealth of professional services for its members.

Assist in the development of innovative professionals prepared for the future of GIS.

Promote and cultivate the use of GIS to enhance the research, development and expansion of GIS use within the region.

Promote the development and publication of standards and methodologies.

Influence government policy and governance on the effective and efficient use of GIS in the Caribbean region.

Vision: To become the professional community for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) practitioners in the Caribbean region, promoting both individuals and organizations (all vertical industries) engaged in the use and integration of geospatial information technologies to derive actionable intelligence for the effective management and improvement of the environment, business and our communities.

We're excited about the possibilities! We would like to share some strategies for the URISA Caribbean Chapter for 2018/19.

MembershipThere are thirty-six (36) countries within the Caribbean region. These countries are where the membership for the URISA Caribbean Chapter is based. The aim is to target the geospatial professionals in these countries to:

Advocating and Co-optingIncreasing the awareness and membership of the URISA Caribbean Chapter should be the goal of every member. Therefore, we are tasking the existing membership to be advocates for the Chapter and to co-opt geospatial professionals within their respective countries to join the Chapter.

Country RepresentativesIn pursuit of a more active URISA Caribbean Chapter, we will seek volunteers from each country to act in the role of Country Representative for a period of at least 1 year. The Country Representative will be tasked with coordinating social meetings to engage the members within their country.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)Additionally, we ask that members volunteer to spearhead and/or participate in special interest groups (SIGs). Some examples of SIGs include:

Women in GIS

Young Professionals

Technology & Innovation

Social Media & Marketing

Educational Events

Geomatics/Surveying

Regional Disaster Management & Preparedness

Other SIG ideas based on suggestions from members

Get Involved - Become a Volunteer for the URISA Caribbean Chapter

Chapter members have numerous opportunities to get involved. In addition to expanding your professional network by collaborating with like-minded individuals on projects, volunteering is a great way to earn GISP Contributions Points, and work on your leadership skills.

Volunteer your talents, creativity and insights to help the URISA Caribbean Chapter become the professional community of choice for GIS professionals in the region. We are calling on all Geospatial Professionals in the Caribbean to volunteer some of their time to the URISA Caribbean Chapter. We are seeking individuals to be involved in special interest groups (SIGs); be country representatives;plan and execute workshops/webinars; and to be advocates for the URISA Caribbean Chapter.

You'll have ample opportunity to collaborate with your peers. Volunteers will work together to plan and brainstorm ideas to advance regional collaboration and knowledge transfer to foster excellence and advance technology adoption and achievement.

We need you to be a part of this exciting journey! If you're interested, send an email to caribbean@urisa.org with your contact info and how you would like to contribute. Follow us on social media for updates and announcements about programs we are working on.

Join the URISA Caribbean Chapter

The URISA Caribbean Chapter membership categories are as follows:

Individual($30 USD annually)Individual members shall be those who reside or work in the Caribbean region.

Benefits of individual membership include:

Free admission to Chapter meetings.

Caribbean URISA Newsletter (quarterly).

Email announcements and reminders for Caribbean GIS activities.

Discounts on Chapter events.

Student($10 USD annually) Student members are those in the Caribbean at the time of application. Students should be enrolled in at least one full-time academic course in a related discipline at an accredited institution of higher education.

Benefits of Student membership are the same as individual membership.

Institutional/Non-Profit ($200 USD annually; $20 USD for each additional member) Institutional/Non-Profit members shall be government and non-profit organisations and may designate up to ten (10) employees as Chapter members.

Benefits of Institutional/Non-Profit membership are the same as individual membership.

Corporate($250 USD annually; $20 USD for each additional member)

Up to 10 individual members from the organisation receive all individual benefits above, plus the following corporate benefits:

Listed on Caribbean URISA Website as a sponsor.

A link to the organisation’s website from the Caribbean URISA Website.